Franklin seed



" E aANknrN REED, on CANTON, MAssAcnUsErrs.

Letters `Paten-t No. 104,644, dated Jane 21, 1870.

IMPRQVEMENT IN TRoWELs.

The Schedule refered t'o nthesa Letters-Iatent making part ot the same flfo all whom 'it may concern: f

Be itknown that I, FRANKLIN REED, of' (laut-on, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in 'Irowels,ot'

which the following is a full, clear, and exact Y description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specitication, 'in whichconstruction a more 'extended bearing is given the han- V die, and additional strength imparted t l1'ereto,while at the same time, the llan'dle is prevented from turning or slipping ont of place.

To enable others skilledin the art to understand and use my inventilon, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the'said drawingi A is the trowel-blade, to the upper side of which is riveted, at a, ;fa-longitudnal strip or cleat, b, lof the form shownff 4 At a point, c, forward yof the center of the strip b, `rises an upright support or bols`ter,7 B, its upper 'end being curved or inclined backward, as seen inigs. 1 'and 2, and covering the` entire front ot'` the woodenl handle .0, which abuts against it andrests upon a shank, d, which passes centrally through it. f

To the outer end of the shank is riveted a washer, e, which keeps the handle snugly up to the bolster B, while the latter is provided with a stud or dowel, j, which enters a hole of corresponding size in the front of the handle, byv which construction an)1 tendency to turn on its shank is`overcome.

The form of the under side ofthe handle from 5 to 6 is that-ot' a curve, while the form of its upper side, from 7 to 8, is that of a correspondingr curve; the front Y5, of the under side of the handle, by extending down below its center, forms a convenient rest for the' thumb and fore-linger, which, inV connection with the curvature of the handle, renders it easier to grasp and materially relieves the strain en the wrist,'wl1ile,-atthe same time, the hand is enabled to be brought'v nearer the work.

- By my. invention, the bolster B, shank d, and strip l), are made of' reduced thickness, .whereby a trowel of less weight may be furnished, and at a less cost.

Instead' of the strip b, two holsters may be cmployed, one to support each end of the handle, each bolster to be screwed or otherwise secured to the blade A, (see fig. 3,) but I prefer the construction first described. v

The shank may be dispensed with, and the handle be supported between -two holsters by means of dowel pins, without departing from the spirit of my invention. I am aware that- Letters Patent ot the United States were granted to J. Flint on the-21st day ot' October, A.4 D. 1862, and I distinctly disclaim any of the features covered by him in his said Letters Pa't ent.

What I 'claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is c The bolster B, extending above the shank (l, and

covering the end of the handle C, in combinationwith the handle G and shank d, provided with a dowel-pin,

f, when constructed and arrangedwith reference to a trowel, substantially as and for the purpose set fort-h.

FRANKLIN REED.

Witnesses:

W. J. CAMBRrDGE, L. E. BACHELLER. 

